Jays, Guerrero do not reach deal on extension
Global News
The Toronto Blue Jays and slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not reach an agreement on an extension before his Tuesday deadline on contract negotiations.
DUNEDIN – The Toronto Blue Jays and slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not reach an agreement on an extension before his Tuesday deadline on contract negotiations.
The 25-year-old first baseman, who’s entering the final year of his current deal, said he does not plan to continue talks now that he has arrived at camp.
The developments pave the way for Guerrero to become a free agent this fall.
“The last couple days, the front office, my lawyers, my agents, they met, both (sides) tried but obviously we couldn’t get an agreement,” Guerrero said via interpreter Hector Lebron.
Guerrero did not get into specifics of the talks but did say the Blue Jays were not close to the dollar figure he was looking for.
“We never got to the point where I felt like I wanted to do the deal,” he said.
Guerrero would be one of the biggest names available if he were to hit the open market after the World Series.
He hit .323 last season with 30 homers and 103 RBIs. Guerrero has been a key offensive cog in the Toronto lineup in recent years.
